


Proof in the Pudding

by EntreNous



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Clumsiness, Ficlet, M/M, Magical Tattoos, Snogging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-23
Updated: 2008-12-23
Packaged: 2017-12-24 18:04:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/943003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EntreNous/pseuds/EntreNous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No one should leave Neville in charge of carrying the tarts if Charlie Weasley's going to burst into the kitchen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Proof in the Pudding

Neville had three trays of tarts balanced on his arms when Charlie Weasley ambled into Molly Weasley's kitchen.

"Oh!" Neville started, but made a grab and only lost one of the trays to the floor. He heaved a sigh of relief. "Good lord, I thought I lost the lot of them. And Hermione said to be careful with these, too. It's her first time hosting the holidays all by herself, and . . ." He trailed off, realizing Charlie likely had no interest in the details.

"I hardly burst in here," Charlie said with an easy grin as he made quick work of picking up the crumbled sticky pastry. "What's got you so startled?"

"It wasn't the way you came in here, it was you," Neville clarified. Then he blushed.

Charlie, who had been brushing the crumbs from his hands, paused with an quirk of a red eyebrow.

"I mean. Er." Neville barked a laugh and then dropped another tray of tarts. "Oh dear."

"Here." Charlie eased the third tray away from him and safely onto the table.

"It wasn't you exactly," Neville added hastily. "I mean, not exactly _you_." He cleared his throat. "More the, you know." He pointed to the tattoo of the dragon on Charlie's forearm, which had reared and hissed at Neville when Charlie entered the room.

"Oh, don't mind him," Charlie said with amusement. He popped a bit of crumbled tart into his mouth and stroked the tattoo fondly as though it were a spoilt pet. "He just spits a bit of fire and smoke when he sees something he likes."

"Er." Neville found himself staring at Charlie's muscular arm. "I mean. Pardon?"

"He has good taste, I rather think." Charlie grinned and tugged Neville towards him.

"Oh!" Neville reached out for something to grab so he wouldn't crash to the ground along with the ruined remains of two-thirds of Hermione's carefully-prepared sweets, and in his rush clutched Charlie's very fit torso.

When Hermione came to see what was the matter several minutes later, she gasped at the sight of them kissing and surprised them into stumbling apart.

"Hermione," Neville blurted. "I was just -- we were only -- the tarts . . ." He touched his fingers to his swollen lips, and then, thinking what that must look like, snatched his hand back. The movement sent him back into Charlie's direction and jostled the table. "Oh, there goes the third tray," he said miserably as the last of the tarts tumbled to the ground.

"I know where we can get some very fine pastries to replace those -- take you there right now -- don't worry a bit if we don't return straight away, Hermione." Charlie gave her a wink, and led Neville out the door.

"Honestly," Hermione muttered as she turned to flick her wand at the broom and dustpan. "If they were going to snog and paw at one another, they ought to have done it properly in the broom shed like everyone else and spared the pudding."

 

 

***~* the end *~***


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